The matter of seniority
by Arien Halfelven
Summary: In which Yukimura asks awkward questions, Masamune takes awkward position and Kojuurou has to tend to the awkward issues


English is not my native language, so I ask in advance to forgive me all the mistakes and grammatical crimes. It is a translation of one of my fanfics, made with great help of Clio. applause

The story below could be and should be read without any overtones and implied meanings. In order to read into such meanings, I personally suggest to read another story first:

Author: Clio S.S.

Story: Puss

The whole thing is the issue of seniority between Sanada Yukimura and Date Masamune, which – according to their original's biography – is…

Who cares about originals? I don't.

Enjoy.

With my best regards and thanks for Clio – and also with hugs for Uru Yumi, who really does exist.

THE MATTER OF SENIORITY

- But, Yukimura-san…

- Please, Katakura-dono! I, Sanada Yukimura, am begging you to help me!

- Yukimura-san, do not get so hectic, or you will burn out our stables again…

- Katakura-dono, I beg your forgiveness! What I have done was unforgivable! I beg your forgiveness! Katakura-dono! I am begging you to forgive me!

- It is nothing to worry about, it was a very small, single stable only, and we have forgotten the whole thing long ago. You really have no reason to get so overexcited about that.

- I beg your forgiveness! I, Sanada Yukimura, am desperate! I need your support and guidance, Katakura-dono! You are the only one who can do it for me!

- But… Why me?

- It has to be you, Katakura-dono! You have experience! You have knowledge! And you shall explain it all to me properly, and simply, and…

- But, Yukimura-san… This matter… Don't you think you should ask Masamune-sama to do it… in person?

- But, Katakura-dono! I could never ask him to do it! Katakura-dono, please, understand me! He is… I am… He and I…

- Oh yes, yes. Those things I do understand. But it's one more reason for the two of you to keep this matter between yourselves.

- I couldn't ask Masamune-dono to do it! I need to know it all before I.. Before...

- It is a very uncomfortable situation for me, Yukimura-san. How shall I explain it to Masamune-sama afterwards?

- Do you… Do we really need to tell him?

- … Do you want me to keep secrets from my commander? Yukimura-san!

- I beg your forgiveness, Katakura-dono! Please! Please, please, please! Do not tell him what I asked you for!

- But, Yukimura-san, why do you want me so badly to…

- This… My lack of experience… My lack of knowledge… It is stuck between me and Masamune-dono! It separates us! It distracts us, Katakura-dono!

- Oh, I got that now… If not for this single matter, the two of you could devote yourselves completely to your mutual activities… Without any useless understatements…

- I knew you would understand!

- Oh, for sake of…

- But you will do it for me, won't you? Please? Please, please, please?

- I am not sure if my commander would approve such doings…

- But it's all for his sake, Katakura-dono!

- Oh, is it?

- Katakura-dono, just think of it! You are the elder one! You are the only one of appropriate position in your army! You can explain it all to me in the best way!

- Oh, Kami…

#

In the meanwhile, Date Masamune was stuck in the awkward, half-cringed position under the window's frame, with his legs under the folded screen and his head bowed down. His yukata was tangled around his waist to avoid sliding down from his arms over and over – it caused numerous rustles that were quite audible outside the window. Too bad that eavesdropping on Kojuurou was never an easy task. But still, he had never expected it to become such a necessity. As he was eavesdropping, the velvety hair of One-Eyed Dragon get raised from growing anxiety, and his left eye gloomed little by little. He trusted Kojuurou, of course. He did trust Kojuurou more than anybody and anything else in the world. He knew that Kojuurou would never do anything, that he himself would regret. And – he could be sure Kojuurou would never say anything, that Yukimura should not know about.

Sure he wouldn't…?

One-Eyed Dragon's strong fingers were crumpling nervously the bluish fabric of his yukata. He trusted Kojuurou more than anybody else in the world. He-did-trust-Kojuurou. He. Did. Trust. Kojuurou…

###

- So, Yukimura-san… At the beginning… There was a swaying field of turnip.

- A turnip?

- A swaying field of turnip, Yukimura-san. Swaying.

- A swimming turnip?

- It was swaying, actually.

- But since it was swaying, it had waves? Like on the water?

- No, Yukimura-san. It was swaying on the wind rather than water.

- So it was the flying turnip?

- Yes, and it had some little paws, four on each side of it.

- Really, Katakura-dono?

- No, not really. Indeed, it had no paws.

- So how did it manage to fly?

- Not with paws, that's for sure… Well, let's start once again, with no metaphors. So, at the beginning, there was a simple and average field of turnip.

- Oh, I would want some turnip…

- Do not worry, Yukimura-san. The lunch is almost ready.

- Aaaaaaaaaawesome! Ahaaaa! Aaa, Katakura-dono! I beg your forgiveness, I have broken your stair! My behavior was reprehensible! I beg for your permission to repair the stair! Aaaa!

- Please, do not break any more stairs, Yukimura-san. Those stairs are old, but they could survive many cataclysms. Apart from you, perhaps. Anyway, it is all right for you to be hungry all the time. You are still growing up.

- You see, Katakura-dono! You see it! You really understand! You brought Masamune-dono up to be such a great warrior! You shall tell me, how did it happen!

- All the time I'm trying… It was like… like at the beginning, there was a turnip. Lots of turnips.

- But why turnip?

#

Masamune very carefully moved, shifting position of his body, and he leaned on the other knee. Young Tiger kept asking really accurate questions. A turnip? What, for sake of the moon itself, the turnip had to do with all of this? It seemed Kojuurou's story wandered too far in the past. Kojuuru's own past, by the way. What Sanada Yukimura wanted to know, was only…

Hm.

#

- But, Katakura-dono! I only wanted to know, what it was like, when Masamune-dono was still young!

- He's not so old even now…

- But younger! Much younger!

- Well, those days… From my point of view, there was turnip.

- But then Masamune-dono came! And he was young back then, and he was still growing up too, like me now, nee, Katakura-dono? He was growing up?

- In a trice, Yukimura-san. Sometimes he still is.

- And… And a turnip?

- Oh, you see, if we want to get such a graceful dragon baby, who will grow up to be an One-Eyed Dragon, we have to go and look for it on the field of turnip, and bring a newborn from under the greens. That's where they come from.

- … But we do not have to do it right now, Katakura-dono?

- Oh, no, Yukimura-san. One day you shall find just the right person to take with you to the field of turnip and you will have some… activities… with said person in there.

- …

- Yukimura-san? Is something wrong? Why have you made such face?

- You are treating me like a child, Katakura-dono. I am aware, that I lack many skills of a warrior worthy of Takeda mark, and I know I am not ready yet. But even I do know that one does not find children in the turnip.

- … Oh.

- I shall better be going, Katakura-dono.

- Ah, Yukimura-dono, I meant no offence… I am really sorry. Please, stay. Do stay. I promise we shall be talking all seriously from now on.

- Really, Katakura-dono?

- I swear on my honor. Seriousness until the lunch time.

- Lunch time! You made me feel all better already, Katakura-dono.

- We, warriors of Oushuu… We just have this little something. Anyway, I must admit that you really have surprised me.

- We, warriors of Kai, we just have that little something!

- Oh, yes. So, you do know about children, and all that stuff?

- Sasuke-kun had it all explained to me long ago.

- Really?

- Oh, because, you see, Katakura-dono, we had those kittens once.

- Had you really?

- I mean, the cat had kittens. It was a lady-cat, actually. But I belived it to be otherwise and I called him Uru Kai, before he become she. And then she happened to have kittens and Sasuke called her Uru Yumi instead.

- The name worthy of a cat from Kai.

- She has even responded to it sometimes, Katakura-dono!

- Good girl… And what about her?

- She stayed home, when we left.

- And this is all…?

- Oh, no, Katakura-dono. You see, I had no idea, where those kittens came from, so I had asked Oyakata-sama because he knows everything in the world. And it was a long time ago and I myself knew nothing at all about the world. I did not even know that Masamune-sama does exist!

- Unimaginable.

- You know, Katakura-dono, to be honest, I can't even remember what life was like in those days, when I did not know, that Masamune-sama does exist.

- Do you know, Yukimura-san, that me neither?

- *sigh*

- *sigh*

- *sigh*

- He really does have that little thing, Masamune-sama does, I mean. But what about kittens?

- Sasuke explained it to me.

- Oh?

- And he told me all the truth. Also, he told me that one finds human children on the field of garlic, so they might appear not to be tasty for wild animals.

- …

- And Sasuke said other people may come and try to make me belive other things, but I mustn't believe it, because it could be nothing more than just a fairytale, and that about garlic is the truth!

- …

- And it is the truth! I, Sanada Yukimura, myself saw kittens in the garlic!

- …

- They disappeared so quickly… But Uru stayed. And if we spend the winter in Kai, she shares my bed sometimes!

- …

- So, you see, Katakura-dono, I do really know it all for sure!

#

Date Masamune was knocked down.

Literally.

He was brought to fall down on his back.

Literally.

And he was totally disarmed.

Literally.

Those warriors of Kai, they could bring a man to such a pose. Kawaiiiii…

#

- Now you can see, Yukimura-san, those things are complicated.

- I beg for your forgiveness, Katakura-dono! I, Sanada Yukimura, failed to perceive the profundity of your wisdom!

- You will know from now on that a real dragon could only rise from the field of tough, luscious and substantial turnip.

- Oh, yes, Katakura-dono!

- In the moonlight, and in the moonlight only.

- Why is that so?

- Because it suits him best.

- It is correct, Katakura-dono!

- Well, now you know it all, where did One-Eyed Dragon came from, and all those things. So, what is it, that disturbs your mind, Yukimura-san?

- Oh, well, so… So I wished to know how did Masamune-dono become the greatest warrior in the Land of Rising Sun!

- By trial and error…

- I fail to comprehend the profundity of your wisdom right now, Katakura-dono!

- Because my wisdom is so very profound from its very nature…Have some mercy, Yukimura-san. How am I supposed to know such things? From my point of view, he just arose one day on my field of turnip, mostly like a godsend, or something alike, and he never let go of me.

- What?

- Oh, allright, the truth is, that I have never let go of him either. But do not expect from me to tell you about Masamune's childhood day by day.

- But do tell me, Katakura-dono! It shall be a magnificent story! It shall became the sacred chart in my heart, so it would be also the light on my path to gaining the strength and the skills of a truly splendid warrior! It shall be…

- But, Yukimura-san!

- Tell me everything about him! Tell me even about kittens! Tell me about Masamune-dono chasing kittens.

- What?

- He had to chase kittens when he was a child. I did! I used to be chasing kittens. And then the kittens were chasing me, because I was outnumbered. and Oyakata-sama said it was the right thing to do. And then all of us were chasing others, and Oyakata-sama let us catch him.

- Oh.

- And what about Masamune-dono?

- And Masamune-dono wouldn't allow you to catch him so easily. But he would gladly take the chance to catch you.

- Really?

- I am positively sure of it, Yukimura-san. Ask him to do it some day.

- I will, Katakura-dono! I will do so! But do tell me more!

- But, Yukimura-san… I am afraid… Hmmm… He was never allowed to chase kittens. Nor to have kittens chasing him. I know it for sure, actually.

- Oh, no!

- That is the truth. And except for what I know he didn't't do, I don't know at all what he used to do. Wouldn't you like me to tell you about our first mission together instead?

- Let's save it for another time, Katakura-dono! Today you tell me about One-Eyed Dragon, what he was like, when he was a little dragon in the turnip!

- …

- He was a little dragon in the turnip once! You said it yourself!

- Hm.

- Please, Katakura-dono! Please, please, pleasepleaseplease!

- But I don't know any details!

- How can you not know?

- I was only ten back then! I was ten years old when Masamune-dono was born, what could I remember besides the turnip?

- …

- Mercy!

- Oh…

- So, maybe now you could…

- But, perhaps…

- I know nothing, I say nothing.

- But you do know when he was born, don't you? Do you know when his birthday is? I will bring him beans as a birthday gift!

- What a wonderful idea…

- So, when was he born?

- …

#

_I. Do. Trust. Kojuurou. I. Do. Trust. Kojuurou._

Under the window's frame, One—Eyed Dragon was able only to roll. And even as little appeared to be too much. Yet, he did persist in rolling.

_I.__ Do. Trust. Kojuurou. __Don't__ I…?_

#

- Oh! Really?

- I do not remember it all so well, I might be mistaken...

- I beg your forgiveness, Katakura-dono, but you might indeed. It would be the same year, when I myself was born! That would mean Masamune-dono is the same age as myself! And Masamune-dono is… He is…

- Hi is older.

- He is definitely older than I am.

- Of course.

- But, if you were in fact right about the year of his birth…

- I'm in fact wrong. Wrong for sure.

- But if… Because… 'Cause I was born in the summer and I have been thinking…

- He was born… Hm…

- Yes?

- In the spring.

- Oh.

- In the spring, absolutely.

- Oooh.

- Very early in the spring, actually. A late winter, some time between the winter and the spring. The beginning of the year. Whichever year was that.

- Oooooh.

- I am positive about this.

- Ouh… It's no big deal, Katakura-dono, I've just thought… If he would be born in autumn… Or in the early winter… Or perhaps in the late summer, the late summer…

- Masamune-sama wasn't born in the late summer. Not in that year, anyway.

- But of course, Katakura-dono. I only thought…

- Do not think such things, Yukimura-san.

- Of course, Katakura-dono.

- Masamune-dono is older.

- Oh yes, I know…

- So, go get the lunch, Yukimura-san.

- Yes, sir! Yes, Katakura-dono! Thank you, Katakura—dono!

#

For a first time from very, very long One-Eyed Dragon Date Masamune gave up his iron will to the force of Necessity. He let away a burst of laughter and laughing convulsions.

Squatting down on the weakened stairs, Kojuurou raised a head and sent to the Heavens a lenient smile. Well, youth… Those questions, those ideas… Intriguing hint, that question about Masamune's childhood. The face of warrior of Oushuu became gloomy at a sudden thought – that one story didn't seem to be appropriate for young Tiger of Kai, with all his ideals, admirations and delights that young Sanada-san still carried in his heart. The truth was that Katakura Kojuurou knew all about this story in detail, but Sanada Yukimura did not need to. Perhaps Masamune-sama would share his memories one day, but he himself, Dragon's Right Eye, shall keep the secrets of his master. But it was intriguing no less, that hint with the year of birth. He was positively sure he remembered it right, but still… No, it made no sense. Masamune-sama was older. With no doubts he was older. It is, of course, he was older than Yukimura-san. Kojuurou laughed soundlessly. Most people seemed to be older when compared to Yukimura-san – and the more fun was the sight of supposedly so very young and innocent Sanada throwing others out from their horses and shredding those older and wiser people with his spears. Well. Masamune-sama was undoubtedly older than Sanada-san was. For sure. Absolutely. Yes. And he himself, Katakura Kojuurou, was ten years older from his Dragon.

Heh.

Kojuurou's smile became one shade wider and three shades bitterer.

Heh.

THE END


End file.
